Fear for Joy

What makes you shudder at the mere mention of it....sends a chill down your spine? Zombies maybe?[They are pretty popular these days.] Well, one of mine was less grotesque from a physical standpoint but equally scared the ba-jeezus out of me. 

It all had to do with a simple diving board.....

Right around 4th grade I was signed up for swimming lessons- passed my first class with flying colors. Then, I was moved up to the "Advanced" class. The second week or so the instructor lets us know that on top of being able to hold our breath for a minute, dive for rings at the bottom of the pool, swim in place for 2 minutes, and complete 10 laps....in order to pass the class we had to dive off the diving board.

You'd have gotten a kick out of my expression when that bomb dropped. Think pale as Wednesday[Addam's Family], eyes like a deer in headlights like what. just. happened?! I thought, "Excuse me, did you say diving board? The super-high, 5 meters or whatever it is one [a.k.a. 16 ft. for all the people like me who check in to la-la land when math and conversions come up]?" As much as I wanted to imagine I'd heard wrong, my ears had not deceived me.

Looking up at that diving board that pretty much looked like a high-rise to me and trying to envision mustering up the courage to even just leap off that thing was the most petrifying notion ever!

There's something in the Mud

When you think of mud, what comes to mind?...memories? 

Do you remember the last time you played in it? Ever made a mudpie? Had a mud mask?

I remember a day when I was a kid- maybe it was 2nd grade- my mom dressed me up in one of those frilly dresses with the itchy-scratchy lace, and all I could think of was to just rip it off and pull on some stinkin' leggings and a t-shirt. The entire school day I felt so constricted and awkward. 

When school was finally out, it had started to drizzle. As I walked home the rain picked up a bit, just enough to get a decent splash under my feet. Then it really started coming down(Make note, we're talking San Diego rain). 

As I walked, I took notice of the brownish, filthy water that was now tainting the pure whiteness of my shoes. Just the sight of it gave me such delight,